Fractured Glass
by SilverLightSpeed
Summary: After Sonic the Hedgehog sacrificed his own life to save the world in the aftermath of a crisis which brought Zootopia to his homeworld of Mobius, Sonic, alive but trapped in time, is found by longtime friend and rival Shadow the Hedgehog, who brings him back to Mobius to stop the greatest threat he's ever known. And as Mobians and Zootopians reunite, can they save their future?
1. After the Fall

**Hey guys! Chimichangar here.**

 **If anyone followed my story _Shattered World Order_ , you probably want an explanation since that story was deleted.**

 **I wasn't happy with it. Every chapter was just hard to write, and the story wasn't going where I wanted. It was a shallow attempt at a _Broken Glass_ sequel, and I knew I'd never be happy with it. **

**So _now,_ I'm writing a true Broken Glass sequel. One that actually feels like the original story. **

**Now, what you need to know is explained in this story. You can read this story and _Broken Glass_ in any order.**

 **This story is a sequel to that one, but as Broken Glass by that logic is a prequel, you can read this story first and still understand what's going on.**

 **So for those looking for the next chapter in my Sonic/Zootopia crossover-**

 **Look no further.**

* * *

Sonic the Hedgehog was dead. There were no ifs or buts about it, not to most, anyway.

At least those who knew him could say he died doing what he loved. Being a hero.

A strange thing had happened to Sonic's homeworld, Mobius. A scientist named Mons, an intelligent Dog from Earth, had been sent to Mobius by fearful humans and forced by the now-deceased Dr Eggman to open portals to other worlds. Should he refuse, Eggman would kill his wife, Amber.

Large chunks of Mobian landscape had been ravaged by the sudden appearance of these landmarks from other worlds, the most notable having been Zootopia. Zootopia, a metropolis from a far-away world, had been forcibly merged with Mobius during the experiment, much to the disapproval of it's citizens. But bonds were forged between the Zootopians and the Mobians, who understood that the only way to make things right was to join forces once and for all.

Enter Deadlock.

Now, as fate would have it, Sonic would meet an untimely fate at the ends of a left-over trap set by Dr. Eggman. Sonic's longtime ally and occaisional rival, Shadow, had discovered that by traveling at a fast enough speed, he could open portals that would allow him to travel in time. And so he did, changing the past and saving Sonic from death.

However, changing one event can alter the entire timeline in unprecedented ways, and Shadow's alteration transformed Mons's former assistant-turned-radical Vincent into a super-powered being who, calling himself Deadlock, aimed to take the fusion of worlds into his own hands. Using his bizarre powers, Deadlock had restored Mobius to it's original state, taking Judy Hopps and all of Zootopia's citizens with it. Too bad Sonic was trying to date Judy, too.

But Sonic's hopes at a successful romance were dashed when Judy allowed the Zootopia Police Department, commonly referred to as the ZPD, to run tests on an unconcious Shadow as they were unaware of his intentions and percieved him as a possible threat. Dissapointed, Sonic left his first date with Judy hopeless and regretful, cursing his oversight. With his own life in ruin, Sonic turned his focus to stopping Deadlock, whatever the cost. And after a brutal explosion that left him a cyborg, Sonic piloted a plane built by his best friend, Tails, straight into Deadlock, killing them both and ending the 'Shattered Mobius' crisis once and for all.

And by the time the first successful portals to Mobius were activated in Zootopia, it was already too late. Returning to Mobius minutes too late, Judy watched as Sonic, in a tearful goodbye, died in a eruption in the skies above.

But slowly, 'Sonic analysts' began to study the footage of the explosion that killed him, and what followed made news.

There was a strange purple light in the footage, not the kind of light you'd expect to find in an explosion.

Soon, the papers were flying off shelves and the media was flooding with speculation. Could Sonic be alive? It seemed that from the aureate words of poets to the babbling of children, everyone's minds were clinging to the desperate hope that their hero could be alive. Magazines featuring fake images of Sonic littered the streets, as crime reached an all-time high. It seemed that without Sonic, the whole planet would burn, if it hadn't been for Sonic's dying wishes.

One, for Shadow never to alter the timeline to return him to life.

Two, for Tails to become Mobius's next hero.

And Three, for all of Mobius to unite as one to create a better world upon the one he left behind.

Before his death, Sonic also admitted his feelings for Amy, hoping that in Judy's absence, he could make things right to Amy. Because, in his words, there was no Sonic the Hedgehog without Amy Rose.

And as Shadow sat alone on a park bench vandalized by grafitti and hate mobs, reading a newspaper talking about the possibility of Sonic having survived, it took everything he had to keep Sonic's request. Because Shadow knew that although Tails would create the future of Mobius's safety, the people looked up to Sonic. _He_ had been their ideal, their shining star. If only he could make a few alterations so that Sonic wasn't in the plane when it crashed.

But that wasn't the only thing he'd like to change.

During the time Zootopia had been on Mobius, Shadow had earned the trust and friendship of Zootopia's biggest icon, the singer Gazelle. The two became closer throughout the events of the crisis, but when she tried to help Shadow heal the wounds of his past, particularly those relating to a young girl named Maria, Shadow refused to let anyone that close to his heart, and departed in a fit of rage, barely even hearing of Gazelle again before it was too late. Though he had tried to restore their relationship, the impending threat of Deadlock threw Shadow's plans off course, leaving him as he was now, lonely and regretful.

What if Sonic was alive? If this purple energy he'd heard so much about was real, perhaps it was a portal? Deadlock had the capability of opening portals, so if Sonic was alive, could Deadlock be alive as well?

And, standing up from the bench, Shadow finally realized that the world wasn't going to get any better than it was right now,

Not without a little push.

Shadow began to run, blazing through the desolate vegetation and through and around buildings. As he picked up speed, he felt the familiar energies in him that it seemed he had last felt a lifetime ago. Everything felt so different now, and it was never going back-

Unless he did the one thing he was told not to do.

Shadow saw the portal in front of him as a result of his speed and it was too late for any second thoughts as he entered the time-stream, all the world's events around him. Shadow felt an unusual resistance, as though something was holding him back from stopping Sonic's death.

Shadow felt the cold touch of metal on his arm as he was flung out of the time-stream and into what appeared to be an endless field, not unlike how one might picture the afterlife.

"What the- where am I? Who are you?" Shadow yelled to the endless fields.

"Didn't I tell you not to come after me?" a familiar voice echoed, as an even more familiar figure stepped out of the fields, a badly bruised figure with cybernetic limbs, yet still easily recognizable.

The figure was Sonic the Hedgehog.

"Sonic? My God, you look terrible. But not so bad for someone who's supposed to be dead."

Sonic nodded his head weakly. "Supposed to be dead and dead are different. Deadlock? Now he's dead for real. But he used the last of his powers to trap me here, a fate worse- maybe- then death. And if you were to save me from my supposed death, he would instead use his powers on himself. Which would, obviously, mean he'd be alive. Game over. Bad end. You get the point."

Sonic slumped to the ground, obviously weaker than usual. "The reason I told you not to change the timeline, Shadow, was because I didn't want to risk Deadlock being alive. And also, with me gone, I thought maybe Mobius would- would join together to make a better world. But since you're here, I suppose that second one didn't happen."

Shadow sighed. "You pulled me from the time-stream into this limbo to stop me from inadvertently changing Deadlock's death alongside your own. But as long as this place is still here, Deadlock is dead. Although that doesn't mean you have to be in it."

Sonic laughed. "Please, Shad. You can't get me out of here- I admit I've tried. I don't even age in here. There's nothing, just- grass. No exit. Although I'm losing strength. I don't feel particularly hungry, but I could still go for a chili dog right about now."

Shadow grinned. "Well, you won't be finding any in here. But-"

Shadow began to run again, making sure to keep an eye on Sonic.

Sonic's eyes widened. "You're opening a portal outta here?"

Shadow gave a thumbs-up and lept into the air as the portal opened back into the time-stream. Grabbing Sonic by the arm, he said "You pulled me out of the time-stream. How'd you reach me?"

Sonic smirked. "I felt a ripple in the air. You were about to change my death, and since that would have not put me here, I was temporarily able to leave, long enough to bring you here. At least I think. I'm not really a scientist."

Shadow braced himself for the jump. "Well, there are plenty-

on-

Mobius."

Sonic closed his eyes. "Woah, Shadow, where are we going-"

Opening them again, he saw a very familiar surrounding.

Mobius.

In front of his own memorial statue.

"I don't believe it." Sonic said. "They made me another statue."

Shadow smirked. "You were their greatest hero. And now, Eggman's dead, and you never had to kill him."

Sonic sighed. "I never asked for Deadlock to kill him. But I admit- I'm glad it wasn't me. Because one of these days I wouldn't have had a choice. God, it's weird to be back."

Shadow was silent for a moment. "I know you asked me never to enter the time-stream again- and then I did. But, the people have their hero back now. Maybe now- there will be hope again. You're alive. Quite the comeback story."

Sonic simply stared at his robotic arm. "Look what Deadlock did to me. He- he retired me. Forcefully."

Shadow shook his head. "No, he didn't. We just have to get your body back to normal."

Sonic laughed desperately. "Either I've been dead for a hell of a long time, or limb regrowth isn't possible yet."

Shadow shrugged. "Not now. But we're not limited to- now."

Sonic grabbed Shadow's shoulders and looked him firmly in the eye. "We can't go to the future, Shadow. There, I've been dead for years. If they see me-"

Shadow brushed off Sonic's hands. "Far enough in the future, there's technology that can change your very appearance. There's nothing to worry about, as long as you stick to the plan."

"Plan?" Sonic asked weakly. "What plan-"

Shadow began to circle the statue of Sonic, opening a portal directly behind. "I don't know how many of these I can open, so I suggest you enter."

Sonic rolled his eyes and walked through the portal, emerging directly on top of a building that was made entirely of reflective glass. "Holy s-"

Shadow pulled Sonic away from the front of the building's roof. "Quiet. We can't be seen or heard."

Looking further, Sonic saw what looked to be a large satelite channeling water to several protruding buildings. "So this is what they do when we run out of resources."

Shadow nodded. "They've created new water. They've also achieved weather control and perfect simulation of the real world. But let's stay on focus, shall we? It's not good to know too much about the future."

Shadow approached what appeared to be an appliance store. "Believe it or not, they sell this stuff like cell phones. We should be able to find what we're looking for in here- and you'll be able to open the portal out of here. I don't have the energy."

Sonic slowly followed. "Alright. Let's get this over with. It's about time I ran straight again. Those endless fields bored the hell outta me."

Shadow opened the door. "Ready to take your life back?"

Sonic grinned. "All right. We're doing this."

 **And so it begins.**

* * *

 **So there's the first chapter! Now of course this story about the return of heroes wouldn't be complete without a villain.**

 **Who will be the villain of this story, you ask?**

 **Find out soon! Leave a favorite if you enjoyed and a follow to be notified as soon as the next chapter is uploaded!**

 **-See you in the next chapter,**

 **Chimi~**


	2. The Start of Something Unbelievable

**OK! Here's chapter 2. I'm feeling a bit under the weather right now but Chapter 3 will probably show up this weekend.**

* * *

"Alright, Shadow. I'm trusting your little 'plan' here, so if this doesn't get my body back to normal, I'm not going to be too mad because I shouldn't even be here, but at the same time the false hope is gonna leave me kinda pissed."

Shadow kept walking through the future's version of an appliance store without concern. "Please, Sonic. Have a little trust. After all the times the whole world has trusted you to save them, I'm sure you know a thing or two about having a bit of hope."

Sonic shrugged. "Huh. Never thought of it that way. Just used to being the guiding hand, I guess."

Shadow smirked. "Well, you're about to get your hand back."

Sonic rolled his eyes, laughing despite trying to look annoyed. "Alright, I walked into that one."

"Well, soon you'll be able to run again." Shadow said grinning.

"At least you find _something_ funny, man. You like- never smile." Sonic said teasingly.

Shadow nodded. "I find it helpful to make light out of good situations. You wouldn't be alive without those cybernetic limbs, but I know the strain they put on your body. And now you're about to be free of them. Doesn't hurt to smile, right?"  
Sonic couldn't disagree. "Hey, I'd be smiling if I broke someone out of time itself."

Shadow walked towards a display with a large machine that had a space in it's center for someone to lay down in. "This looks right. I try not to learn too much about future technology, but trust me. This is the machine."

Sonic seemed confused. "I thought you said they sell this stuff like cell phones. This thing's _huge_. Do people have huge hands in the future of something?"

Shadow led Sonic inside. "Cell phones was probably the wrong example. Think more like refrigerators. Lie down here. I'll run the machine manually."

Sonic sighed. "Shadow, this is a display. If this thing _actually_ worked for free, nobody would buy these."

Shadow didn't seem worried. "I watched a few videos from the future online. Turns out the youth here aren't any less recalcitrant then in our time. They figured out how to get administrator access on the display machines and make these things run."

Sonic's eyes widened. "Whoa. You watched future videos? How many, like, reality spoilers did you get from those?"

Shadow grimaced. "Not many, but still too many for me to know. Thankfully, it was nothing too important. Now, sit still and let's get this over with."

Shadow navigated to the administrator controls of the machine as it drew up a graph of Sonic's body. "I should mention that the machine will need to remove the cybernetic limbs in order to regrow your natural ones. Fair warning- it's going to hurt."

Sonic rolled his eyes. "Figured as much. Good thing I'm a tough cookie."

The machine whirred to life as the process began.

* * *

Sitting in his laboratory with his wife, Amber, Mons couldn't believe how his life had turned around.

As fate would have it, Mons's time on his homeworld of Earth hadn't been pleasant. People on Earth hadn't been too keen on the idea of a basset hound capable of standing on two legs and performing human actions who also happened to be an intellectual genius. So they sent him away.

He wasn't the only animal from Earth with human intelligence, however. He and his brother Joe along with of host of others had been the subjects of an experiment by scientists to make animals smarter and stronger. The experiment, however, resulted in the animals developing super-powers, or, as the scientists put it, "superhuman abilities".

Mons found himself extremely strong, able to fly, fire laser beams from his eyes without damaging them in the slightest, and no longer requiring food, drink, or sleep. His brother Joe became invincible and able to lift entire buildings from the ground. Such results as these prompted the fearful scientists running the experiments to develop technology that would send the animals off-planet to a new home.

Finding similar beings to Mons and his brother on Mobius, the scientists, led by a suspicious man named Albert Schiner, sent Mons and the rest on a course to Mobius, where upon arrival, while most went into hiding, Mons and his brother decided to try to use their powers to become heroes, which seemed to be needed on Mobius. This brought Mons into the eye of Dr. Eggman, Sonic's arch-enemy, who saw Mons as a way to cripple Sonic.

Kidnapping Mons's wife, Amber, Eggman forced Mons to open portals to other worlds, which, of course, is what brought Zootopia to Mobius and the rest is history. Not knowing that Mons was being controlled, this gave him a bad image in the public eye, but eventually his name was cleared by Sonic and the rest of his team, allowing Mons to become a hero again in the absence of Sonic after his 'death'. With Eggman now dead, Mons and his wife were able to recover from what had been done to them, and Mons had now become a figure of hope in the public eye, alongside his brother, who joined the Freedom Fighters, another group of heroes, to protect Mobius.

Recently Mons had been trying to establish a technology company on Mobius. Naming it, creatively enough, Monstech, the company's opening ceremony had just commenced, and in the crowd during the ceremony Mons was sure he had seen a familiar face.

* * *

One of the other test subjects in the experiment that gave Mons his powers was a springer spaniel dog named Thomas, who had also been sent off-planet to Mobius and went into hiding upon his arrival. Thomas had potentially very powerful electricity-based powers, and his intelligence had rivaled even Mons's. Mons hadn't seen or heard of Thomas since they got to Mobius, but he was sure Thomas had been in the crowd when Monstech was opened. If Thomas was surfacing now, Mons would have to keep an eye on him.

After all, who knows what his intentions might be?

* * *

 **So at this point you've probably figured out who the villain of the story is going to be.**

 **Now, anyone who's followed me for a little while might know that I created a evil version of Tails called Kronos who was going to pop up in a Broken Glass Sequel. But like I said at the start of the story, I'm keeping this true to myself and my previous writing and Kronos doesn't work here. If there's _yet another_ story in this series, then I'll see about using that idea. **

**Anyways, that's all for now. See y'all again hopefully pretty soon.**

 **-Chimi**


	3. As The World Turns

Monstech.

Mons's dream. A better world.

Everything could fall apart in seconds.

That's why Mons never made errors. Because he couldn't afford to.

The possible threat of Thomas could not be overlooked, certainly not at a time like this, in a world devastated by crime and the loss of it's hero.

It seemed that with Sonic gone, more and more criminals- 'villains', if you will- appeared each day, both in everyday life and across technology.

One of Mons's actions that made him a hero in the public eye was when he stopped a global hack that would've dismantled every bank across Mobius. Monstech was an extension of that desire to help.

With the technology Mons would provide through the company, criminals would have a new face to fear. And if the technology fell into the wrong hands, Mons would activate remote kill-switches that would immediately demobilize terrorist attacks.

It was the perfect plan.

Of course something so perfect couldn't last without a complication.

"Something wrong?" Mons's wife Amber asked him, noticing his brooding expression. " _God_ , that brooding face suits you, but maybe tell me what's on your mind?"

Mons sighed. "Something I never wanted to think about again. The experiment. The results of my existence can't seem to leave it alone, but I don't think they're aware of what these years on this planet have done for me. I'm less likely to break than even Sonic was. They're used to his limit- they're gonna have to set the limit higher."

Mons began to fly. "Could Sonic do this? Or topple a building with a single swipe of his fist? Or build an army of technologically advanced androids that don't make a single error? No. But I can. Criminals better watch out. And when I die, if there's an afterlife, it's not gonna take me back after what I do to those who threaten the innocent. I _will_ break them. I will give them what Sonic never could. Fear."

Amber smiled. "Very pretentious, hun. I'm sure you'll clean the streets. But right now, someone needs to clean the dishes."

Mons landed. "Well, thanks to the experiment, I don't even need to eat. But I'll do it. Then, I'm going to find Thomas, and any accomplices he might have. I won't let anyone hurt you again. I'll keep you safe, I promise."

Amber embraced him and pulled him into a kiss, surprising him as Mons had almost forgotten feelings in his intense study. "I know." she said with a smile.

That was when the phone rang.

The phone rang and the caller ID was Sonic.

"Hold on. I gotta take this." Mons said.

"Hello? Who are you, and how did you get this number?"

The voice that answered could only belong to Sonic.

"Relax, Mons. It's just me. The ghost of Sonics yet to come. Or whatever.

Jokes aside, I'm alive, I have my normal body back, and I thought it'd be best to stop by your lab before totally revealing myself to the public. Oh, and Shadow's with me."  
Mons, stunned, could barely respond. "Astonishing. It's good to have you back, Sonic. I must know the full story. Come by my lab ASAP."

"Will do." Sonic said as he ended the call.

* * *

Sonic turned to Shadow. "Now that we're back from the future, let's start making ours."

Shadow sighed. "We're here for you, Sonic. My future is it's own matter, and you know I can't solve that right now."

Sonic smirked. "You _can_ , Shadow. You have the power to go wherever you want, and do whatever you want. You can fly, man. Stop being scared and just give yourself the wings. Not literally though. You never know with that future technology."

Shadow smiled slightly. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I should look out for myself. But I can't stop looking out for others."

Sonic looked Shadow straight in the eye. "Hey, I remember what happened, back when Zootopia was here. Maybe you should start looking out- for her- for- Gazelle- again."

Shadow closed his eyes, clenching his fist in agony. "Things aren't the same, Sonic. There is no Zootopia on Mobius anymore. I- I can't go there and pretend like there is. I had to let her go, Sonic. It's what I deserved anyway."

It seemed to Sonic like the end of an era as he looked at Mobius, just as normal as it had been before Zootopia first appeared. Sure, there were portals between Zootopia and Mobius, but they weren't used very frequently, and Mobius was nothing more than an interdimensional tourist spot.

"Y'know, Shadow? I realized something. This world right here? It's good. It's fine, it's great. But when Zootopia was here, it was _better_. And- I know we were never supposed to have Zootopia here. We weren't supposed to know what that's like. But guess what? We do, and now that we've experienced that better world, this one just isn't the same. It feels held back. I know I shouldn't, maybe, be saying that. I'm supposed to be the symbol of this planet, whatever state it's in. And I'll support and work for everyone here. I'll die for them- as you know. But I'll be damned if I don't have feelings."

Shadow smiled. "Of course. But the role we play here- the hero? The hero doesn't _feel._ The hero protects. That's the way I see it."

Sonic shook his head. "Then see it differently. If we don't care about those we protect, why do it at all? What's the point? Life isn't all yes's and no's. It's more complicated then that. It's not just 'do you want to be a hero?' or any other question. We chose this life for more than just a 'yes.' We chose this life because it was in our blood, because it was _our_ job to do what others couldn't, to not waste what we've been given. We worked ourselves up to this point, and we can't back down now. And as we get older, that feeling, that passion, has to get stronger. Or we'll fall- just like ashes- to the ground, weak and broken. You ever read the history books? Where everyone gets beaten and dies? That's going to happen to us one of these days. We'll get beaten, or die. We have to push ourselves as hard as we can for as long as we have."

Shadow laughed. "I was designed not to die. The 'Ultimate Lifeform'. They said I'd have nothing to fear in this universe. But there's more than our universe. Somewhere out there, there's something that can kill me. One of these days I'll meet it. And if I have any chance of beating it that day, I'll need those words. But right now, I need you to go to Mons. I can feel it, Sonic. Whatever's coming- that thing that could kill me- is on it's way. We don't have much time."

Sonic nodded and dashed off, not wanting to worry Shadow by wasting another minute.

* * *

Mons breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the knock on the door.

"Ah, you're here. I was beginning to wonder if you were even alive."

Mons opened the door, but the face he saw was not Sonic's.

It was the face he was fearing.

"Thomas." Mons said gravely.

Thomas nodded weakly.

"After all these years I've finally found you.

I need your help. You're the only one smart enough to fix this."

Thomas created a spark of electricity and shot it upward to the sky, causing a violent explosion above his head. "I've had these- these powers since all those years ago on Earth, old friend. Back when you got yours."

Mons nodded. "And here we are, living monuments to an experiment we'd all like to forget.  
Thomas agreed. "I've tried to put the past where it belongs- as long as it doesn't affect my present, it can't hurt me. But I can't hide them anymore. They've become unstable."

Mons knew where Thomas was going with his words.

"I've already leveled a small town- a vacant one, thank God. It was an accident- I- I couldn't control it.

We both know I won't be that lucky again."

Mons began writing on his whiteboard. "You look terrible, Thomas. Have something to eat."

But Thomas only laughed. "I'm afraid all the food in the world won't help me much. These powers, Mons-"

"They're killing me."

Sonic ran as fast as he could, unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong. Shadow's ominous trepidation, the worry he'd heard in Mons's voice- it wasn't normal.  
Maybe something happened they weren't telling him about yet?

Sonic decided to brush off the concern for the time being as Mons's laboratory came into view.  
"Hey, Mons! Sorry about the wait. Brought a friend?"

Mons discreetly shook his head so only Sonic could see, indicating that 'friend' wasn't an appropriate term.

The other dog standing by Mons didn't even seem to notice as Mons, hiding his phone from view, sent Sonic a text.

Sonic realized he was still carrying the phone he'd called Mons on and picked it up after hearing it buzz:

' **This is Thomas. His origins and how he got to this planet are nearly the same as mine. I haven't seen him in years- be cautious. His motives seem- skewed.** "

Thomas began to speak. "I saw it, at the Monstech opening- congratulations on your company, by the way. I saw that twitch in your eyes, the shift in your glance, I heard the break in your words.

You saw me.

After all these years I've finally found you.

I never thought you'd get so famous, old boy. Yet here you are, married, successful, a hero. Lucky you."

Mons sighed. "Let's not make this personal, Thomas. I didn't ask for these powers- none of us did. If I can help any of the others afflicted- I will. I want nothing more than each one of us to live the life we want- the ones of us still alive."

Sonic became aware with a creeping feeling that this wasn't an intentional meeting. He'd heard the jealousy in Thomas's voice.

Instinctively he stepped up to defend Mons, and now found himself awkwardly close to Thomas. "So, the first intelligent Earth animals were the result of a human experiment, right?"

Thomas laughed. "Yes, yes. We didn't just crawl out of nowhere with these brains. Although I suppose on your planet- this planet, things are a little different."

Mons turned away from the board he'd been writing on. "I'll need to set up a testing environment, Thomas. Can you make it back tomorrow?"

Thomas nodded. "Of course. You seem to have- bigger priorities." he said, nodding at Sonic and walking away.  
Mons folded his arms in frustration once Thomas was gone. "Dammit. Not what I meant by 'come back tomorrow'."

Sonic kicked a glass across the floor, shattering it against the bottom of the whiteboard. "No, no, no! We have to get him back here, Mons. He's dying! I won't be able to live with it if he dies because I took precedence."

Mons shook his head. "Calm down, Sonic. I've already deduced the approximate rate at which his powers are degenerating his body based on the year he received his powers and the state he's in now. If no action is taken, he'll die in about 5 months. But 5 months is not 1 day, Sonic. Besides, I need to set up a testing environment, like I told him already."

"Now, how exactly are you alive?"

* * *

 **The Million-Dollar Question~**

 **I'm going to end this chapter here because I don't want any of my chapters to be too long, but the next one will be out shortly.**

 **Oh, and quick note: The Zootopia characters are definitely going to start showing up. Thought I'd mention that.**

 **See you in the next chapter,**

 **-Chimi**


	4. Back for More

**Hey guys! Seems to be a problem with the uploader.**

 **You should be able to read the chapter now.**

 **Back from the freakin' dead.**

 **Enough said.**

* * *

Sonic had no sooner finished explaining the details of his being alive to Mons than his mind was focused once again on Thomas. There was unspoken bad blood between Thomas and Mons, especially after the events of the day, and although Mons would insist it was his problem to solve, if tension came to blows Sonic would not stand idly by. The focus of his mind also shifted to Shadow, and if Sonic could pride himself on one thing, it would be the selflessness of his thoughts, as very few were focused on Sonic himself, a surprising fact for someone back in the world with so much to consider. Between the predicaments of Shadow and Thomas a common factor emerged- the desire of change in a situation without an option. Shadow wanted a life he told himself he couldn't have, and Thomas wanted free of a curse he couldn't cure. Sonic was confident if no further tension arose, Thomas would find his relief in Mons. Surely Mons could cure Thomas's problem, and as such, perhaps someone could repair Shadow's broken dreams- piece together the broken glass. Sonic knew in his heart that that person was Gazelle, and- most likely- Shadow did too. But getting Shadow to accept that and approach Gazelle again- that was the tricky part. Perhaps Shadow knew what would make him happiest, but his own morals compelled him to remain apart from Gazelle to not busy her life with his for his own gain. With Shadow it was never about himself, and that wasn't a bad thing. But everyone needs to take care of themself to function, otherwise they'll fall apart. And then what good are they to anyone?

Sonic's thoughts ran uninterrupted until Mons finally responded. "So let me get this straight. If Deadlock had enough power to trap you in time, why didn't he use that power to save himself?"

Sonic shrugged. "My best guess is that if he teleported away, I would have never crashed into him. We would have both survived, and he would have no clear way to get rid of me."

Mons nodded his head slowly. "I see. What perplexes me is why he didn't let you die, but instead trapped you, risking your escape and confirming your survival."

Sonic simply shrugged again. "Probably 'cause he wanted me to be alive knowing that all hell was- is- breaking loose down here on Mobius and that there was nothing I could do. He should have factored in Shadow- I mean, he knew what Shadow could do, right? Well. His mistake. Can't go back on it now, because, y'know, he's dead. Speaking of death- _that_ came out wrong- you probably need to synthesize that testing environment for Thomas."

Mons shook his head. "I can create that testing environment in 5 minutes, Sonic. Just give me a few computers and fancy screens."

Sonic's expression turned bleak. "That's not enough time to make anything work, and we both know it. You're going to create a fake environment, aren't you? Dammit Mons, he's dying! Maybe you think there's nothing you can do, but you're the smartest person I know! Even Tails could learn a few things from you! You have to try!"

Mons sighed. "I already have, Sonic. Years ago, when Thomas, me, and the rest got these powers, I began work on a device that I thought could reverse the experiment. It couldn't, and I'm afraid I don't know any more about it now that I did then. There is no cure, Sonic. Not through science. Thomas never knew I tried to reverse my powers all those years ago, and- the fake testing environment will allow me to bring that information to light, masked as test results from the present day. I don't know why his powers are killing him. As far as I know, that hasn't happened to anyone else affected- at least not me or my brother. I'm afraid I don't have the sufficient resources to do anything more- Eggman seized the majority of my assets, and they've been missing since his death. Perhaps Metal Sonic used them to rebuild, but he had a- change of heart, so to speak- so not to worry. Without Eggman, Metal Sonic became, well, more like you- only more violent. What do they call that? Anti-hero, right?"

Sonic took a deep breath, taking in the situation at hand. "What do you think Thomas'll do when he finds out there's no cure?"

Mons laughed. "Attempt to create one, knowing him. He and I, back in the day- rivaled each other intellectually."

"So you two didn't get along well, I take it." Sonic said deflatedly.

Mons shook his head. "We were all friends of sorts, so we managed. It's just- well, if I did something, Thomas wanted to do it better. Look- I need some time. If you wouldn't mind-"

"I got it." Sonic said turning away to find Shadow.

What Sonic didn't know is that he'd have no luck finding Shadow- not on Mobius.

 **|ZOOTOPIA|**

Shadow walked the silent streets of Zootopia, wondering how Sonic managed to convince him to come here. Everything seemed so different. What had previously been a bustling metropolis was now deserted and cold, very cold. Winter.

Shadow noticed a couple of stragglers on the side of a bakery. Against his better judgement, he approached them to ask a few questions. "Not a soul in sight, eh?"

One of the stragglers looked up. "God Bless and- oh, you're not here to give bread. I know you. You're Shadow the Hedgehog. You're Sonic's friend. Look, I'll tell ya' a secret. Everyone's down at some statue unveiling. Mayor's speakin', that Gazelle singer's performin' something down there, plenty of food and drink- everything. But, me and Dan here", he said, poking the other straggler, "-wake up, Dan, dangit- we saw a truck goin' down there 'boutta half hour ago. Black truck, weapons crates, and no one but us done saw it ta' do somethin' bout it. You's the best chance we got at savin' everyone's lives, ya hear? Ya gotta get down there!"

Shadow nodded solemnly. "Thank you. Take this for your troubles." Shadow walked into the bakery and returned with 5 loaves of bread, handed them to the straggler, and sped off to the center of the city, where he knew the gathering would be held.

It didn't take long for him to spot the black truck the straggler had mentioned cleverly hidden in an alleyway. 5 assassins, presumably wolves, sped out of the truck towards the gathering, guns in hand. Shadow caught up to the tallest one and tackled him to the ground. "Going somewhere?"

The assassin laughed. "I'm just backup. My partners, well. There's that Gazelle up there on stage with the mayor.

And there's the boys opening fire."

Shadow leapt in front of one of the shooters. "Damn! Evacuate the area!" He yelled as crowds began running, trampling each other in a desperate attempt to escape.

Maybe Sonic did have a point about coming to Zootopia, after all.

One of the shooters got a stray bullet off in the mayor's direction. Shadow sped after it, catching the bullet mere seconds before it made contact. "Get out of here. I'll handle them."

Shadow turned to Gazelle. "They're going to keep shooting at you. Let them. It'll prevent them from hitting the other civilians. I'll stop the bullets. Trust me."

Gazelle gasped, lost for words. "Who are y-

Shadow- how did you get here? I- alright. You'd better not get me killed."

Shadow moved at an incredible speed, knocking the bullets clean out of the air. "Remember when you asked me about Maria? This is how she died. Bullets. I promise you, I will not let that happen again. Not to someone I care about."

The assassins eventually ran out of bullets, making them incredibly easy targets for Shadow to render unconscious. Shadow surveyed the casualties. 4 wounded, none dead. His plan had worked.

He turned back to Gazelle. "Are you okay?"

Gazelle nodded hear head slowly. "Yes. That- that was unbelievable. Thank you."

Shadow looked at her sorrowfully. "It was the least I could do. I should leave. _I'm_ probably not who you want to see right now."

Gazelle called after him. "Are you still hung up on what happened all that time ago? Don't you realize that that was _my_ fault? I went too far! I- I didn't know the lengths you'd go to for those- those you cared about."

Shadow turned around. "I thought you wouldn't have heard that amidst the bullets. All I want- I want to make things right between us. I just want to forget the past. All of it. It doesn't do me any good to remember."

Gazelle motioned at the now-bleak scenery. "You saved everyone's lives. None dead, and the injured will recover. Emergency services are on their way. The good in you far outweighs that anger you're killing yourself over."

Shadow smiled. "Well, if that's how you see it- perhaps we could talk further at this bakery I found, eh?"

* * *

Sonic blazed into the aftermath on Zootopia, the thought finally having occurred to him to check for Shadow there. "Woah." he said to himself. "Shadow's definitely been here. The mayor was giving a speech and everything when these party crashers showed up, and the way these assassins are knocked out- that's trademark Shadow." he said, motioning to the fallen assassins. Sonic heard police sirens coming from a distance, gradually growing louder and louder until ZPD cars came into view. "Aaaaand, here's the cops now. Yikes, I look awfully responsible standing here in the middle of this crap."

The cars pulled up and Zootopia's now-famous officer Judy Hopps stepped out of the car with her partner, Nick Wilde. "Alright, area's clear." Judy relayed to the others as the rest of the squad stepped out of their vehicles.

Sonic waved at the cops. "Everyone's alive. Just a few injured you might want to tend to and a whole lotta destruction. This must've been pretty big if _you're_ here, Judy."

Judy lifted her gun. "Whoever you are, put your hands up and leave the scene- now."

Sonic turned around. "Imagine if I was just a helpless civilian and you pointed that gun at me. I told you, it's under control. Don't you remember who I am?"

Judy lowered the gun, shocked. "Sonic- oh my God. You're supposed to be dead."

Sonic laughed. "Fastest thing alive, Judy. Faster than death itself.

Now, let's clean this up, shall we?"

* * *

 **THE STORY LIVES!**

 **Sorry about how much time it took to upload, I'll explain next chapter.**

 **Until then, peace.**

 **-Chimi**


	5. The Appliance of Science

**Hey guys!**

 **Big story chap here. Sorry it took me a while to write.**

* * *

Wherever Mons went, he seemed to leave a trail. Often, when one thing had been affected by Mons, it wasn't the only thing he'd had some kind of connection to.

A perfect example? The experiment. All those years on Earth, a pathetic, cowardly Earth- what had happened? The scientists who had sent Mons away to Mobius, and the others who had conducted the experiment- fear had driven their actions. Even if only an underlying tone- fear was always there.

And when Mons walked away from that experiment, imbued with "super-powers", his trail began. His (adoptive) brother, Joe "Bulli" Pugg, was eager to become a "super-hero". "Bulli" had been Joe's codename during the experiment, an enigma of a name designed to prevent the outside world from knowing who was being experimented on. The name only barely alluded to his identity, as he was a muscular pug, with what might be considered a bulldog physique. Everyone had had codenames, but Joe was the only one who kept his as a sort of alias- a "superhero name" as he called it.

Then boom. Mobius. Mons's, Joe's, and everyone else's chance to have a new life. Joe jumped at it right away- it was the perfect world for his dreams of being a hero. Joe joined the Eggman resistance group Freedom Fighters before Eggman's mysterious death, and after that- he dissapeared. Even Sonic and Tails had heard word of Joe- he had been a valuable asset to the Freedom Fighters, considering the powers he gained from the experiment were incredible strength and agility. But after Eggman, no one saw Joe -who was using the name "Bulli" on Mobius to mask his identity- for years. Mons, who cared greatly for his brother, worried about him, but had never been able to look for him due to Eggman's- interferences.

Mons wondered if Joe was, perhaps, dead. But yet, the thought didn't concern Mons, because he knew his brother was a survivor. Somewhere out there, Joe was alive.

* * *

And that somewhere was a run-down bar, in a run-down section of a run-down city on Mobius. Obviously, not very glamorous- but it was the perfect place for a inactive hero. Despite its gritty nature, it was frequented by retired cops who kept the peace. The oldest officer, Charlie "Smiley" Ruffley, a gruff German Shepard (who wasn't very smiley), sat next to Joe at the bar, both laughably drunk. "I tell ya, Joe, I was one of the good cops. Me and my partner Luigi- we were the clean ones, ya know? Then some thuggish brutes invade town, tryna drive us out, and the rest of the boys, they've been paid off by these guys anyway, they turn a blind eye to this crap. And now look at this place. Our only sanctuary is a freakin' bar. But I've been hearin' about you. They say you got powers."

Joe lifted his head. "Look, Charlie. I don't do that no more. Y'know, I just want a normal life, and everywhere I go I get treated like a damn walking circus! It was the best, being a 'super hero', if ya will. Definitely never thought a guy called 'Egg man' would be so hard to crack- aw crap, I said it again. Cracking Eggman." Joe laughed drunkenly.

"But look, those times are over."

Charlie grimaced. "You know 'Eggman' was a nickname, right? His real name was Ivo Robotnik- but people seemed to like the name Eggman. Made him sound less threatening. Didn't help me. We were all afraid of him on the police force. Sure, Sonic could make quick work of him most of the time, but he was getting smarter. Better. His plans kept getting closer and closer to victory. We were all afraid of what would inevitably happen if, and when, Sonic died. Now there's no more Eggman-"

"And no more Sonic." Joe finished. "Look, back on subject. The 'age of heroes', if you will- it's over. 'Super-heroes' are a thing of the past, and I can't say I've seen too many 'super-villains' either. Ya ask me, I say we're back to cops n' robbers. The whole 'Bulli' thing I used to do- Bulli died with Eggman. Now it's just ol' Joe Pugg again."

Charlie laughed. "Ah yes, the glamerous Joe Pugg. Sitting in a bar so drunk it's a surprise you can even talk, wasting away. _Clearly_ a much better life than being an celebrated hero." Charlie said sarcasticly.

Joe waved his hand drunkenly. "Don't you dare try to guilt me back into it, Charlie. I can't do it anymore- not without my brother."

Charlie nodded his head. "Alright, then. We're going to find Mons."

Joe fell off his chair and onto the floor, causing a disruption and flinging his chair backwards into the wall. "Are you friggin' crazy? I don't wanna torment my bro by tellin' him I've been wasting in this bar! He'll feel guilty! I- I'd rather him just think I'm dead."

Charlie grabbed him by the arm and helped him up. "Dear God, it's hard to lift up the arm of someone with super-strength. I'm gonna have cramps for a week."

Joe shook his head. "Shut up. It'll hurt for 3 days tops. You're a cop."

"Retired cop." Charlie added.

Joe shrugged, which nearly knocked Charlie over due to the size of his shoulders. "Same difference. Now, you wanna seriously talk about finding Mons? Look in a newspaper. Should give ya a good idea of where he's been. There's a stand 3 blocks down from here- if you're interested."

Charlie nodded. "Alright. But you're coming with me. You know Mons'll be unsatisfied if he hears I've found you and you don't even show up."

Joe held the door open and Charlie walked out. "After you." Joe said. "But- if we're really doing this- there's just one condition. You have to call me Bulli."

Charlie rolled his eyes. "You still insist on that absurd name."

Joe smirked. "Super-hero secret identity, remember? They can't know it's me."

"But you're not even wearing a costume. They'll know as soon as they see you." Charlie said observantly."

"Charlie, please. I'm so muscular, they won't even be able to look at me. I'm just that hot now." Bulli said with a sly smile.

"Shut up or I'm never calling you Bulli again." Charlie said, pulling Bulli along.

"Hey Charlie, I wonder if the narrative just changed my name to Bulli."

"What? We're not in a book, Joe. This is real life, not a narrative."

"I don't know. I feel like there's an invisible wall somewhere I need to break. Like a 4th wall."

"Bulli, breaking the 4th wall is when fictional characters realize they're in a fictional universe. I told you, this is all real."

"Yeah, but you just called me Bulli. Boom, the plot demands it. I wonder if we'll find Mons in this chapter or the next one."

"Bulli, you're drunk."

"I know.

Hey, what was I just saying?"

* * *

Mons sat impatiently in his chair, waiting for Thomas to arrive. It was past their scheduled meeting time, and as Mons already was off-put by what he was going to have to tell Thomas, waiting was only making it worse.

Mons took to his workshop while he waited, picking up the ringing phone. "Hello? Erm- yes. I have a meeting at this time, so if you could kindly call back-"

"Oh, I'm afraid that won't be necessary. I think I'm exactly who you want to hear from right now."

The voice was Thomas's voice.

"I found something you might be interested in- a relic from another universe, I think. I'm taking it back to my lab to study a potential cure to my- disease. I do apologize for the inconvenience, but unless you've already got a cure worked out, I'm afraid I'm going to have to cancel our appointment. I'm sure you were going to tell me I was doomed anyways."

Mons was surprised by those final words. How had Thomas known? Must've been a guess. "Alright- alright yes, that's fine. I admit- I wasn't able to find a cure for you, Thomas. I wish you best of luck."

"Thank you, Mons. I appreciate your concern- even if you're just faking it. That's why I'm sending you over a piece of the artifact. You should expect it- now. It's very powerful- I used my piece of it to teleport your piece right to you. Just open your door and you've got a multiverse at your disposal."

Mons was unsure of what to say. "My concern is genuine, Thomas. Where did you find this artifact? Pieces of another universe don't just fall into our laps."

Thomas laughed. "It's a remnant of Deadlock, the one responsible for 'killing' Sonic. He secreted his power into this piece. It can take you anywhere, bring anything- anywhere. Anyone, even. I know this can cure me, Mons. Now go get your piece. Goodbye."

Mons hung up the phone and opened his door. Sure enough, there it was. It looked like a spiky purple rock. Mons took the object back into his workshop. "This can bring other worlds here, eh? So can I. Vincent- Deadlock- he was a fool. This will die with him."

Mons brought his fists down on the piece, expecting it to break. But it didn't. It only pulsed brightly, a strange energy inside. "Damn. Unbrekable." Mons wished he had something capable of breaking the rock. The best hope would have been his brother...

* * *

 _Why do the most beautiful creatures die?_

 _When you enter a garden which flower do you pick?_

 _The prettiest..._

Bulli trudged onward, on towards Mons. Closer, every moment closer now. Charlie was right beside him, they had talked little since finding Mons's location in the newspaper.

"Charlie, it's all wrong. All of this. Why did Sonic have to die? They say he's not dead, but are they telling the truth? I'm only here because of my unbreakable skin. What about the innocents with skin pierced by a bullet- lives shut out before their time?"

Charlie sighed. "That's the world you live in as a cop. Happy ever after, it's a lie. You learn about the victims, you learn about their lives. You don't sleep the same ever again, because you're too smart to not believe in monsters anymore. Monsters are very real, and they do come in the night sometimes."

Bulli nodded solemnly. "We're close to Mons now. Just a few more blocks. I've got an idea."

Bulli grabbed Charlie, and launched himself off the ground 50 feet in the air. "Hold on tight!" Bulli jumped forward further and further, spiraling towards where Mons might be. "I can't fly like Mons, but this is good enough."

It wasn't long until Mons heard the noise.

 _Boom._

 _Boom._

"This had better not be because of that stupid piece of crap from Thomas."

The thumping was right outside his door. Someone was jumping.

Another thump. Then the sound of footsteps. Then six knocks on the door, with a small break between the first and second three.

Mons knew that rythym, and so he walked over to the door and opened it once again. "Hello?"

Bulli reached out and pulled Mons into a hug, nearly choking Mons. "Surprise! Hey brother!"

Mons stumbled backwards, surprised by the sudden hug.

"You lucky bastard. You're not dead. Oh, thank God." Mons said with a large grin.

Bulli laughed. "I'm a survivor, remember? The guy next to me here's Charlie. He really wants me back into the hero buisiness. Heard you were doing it."

Mons smirked. "So you've heard. Well, let me bring you up to speed."

"For starters, Sonic's alive."

* * *

 **And there's that!**

 **If anyone's concerned, this story isn't going to turn into OC city (or OC hell, depending on how you're looking at it.) I did want to introduce Bulli and Charlie as they're important to the story going forward.**

 **See you guys next chapter. Should be up over Christmas break.**

 **-Chim**


	6. Good, Evil, and all that Jazz

**Hey guys! Chimi here! So I think I mentioned that I would explain to you guys why I didn't upload here and then proceeded not to. Oops! In any event, I was busy running a deviantART account that has now been deactivated. So I'm back here! Expect updates!**

 **Like this one :)**

* * *

Thomas stood hunched over in his lab, studying the relic. "I shouldn't have sent that piece to Mons. I shouldn't even have told him about this. But I wanted to be- fair."

The relic pulsed brightly, shining with energy waiting to be released. "Whatever this is, it seems to be respondent to the voice of the user."

Thomas brought the relic near his chest, carressing it slowly like a newborn child. "Can you hear me- feel me? Is someone there on the other side? I am sick. I need you to cure me. I summon your power- I need you to cure...me..."

The pusling got stronger, the relic using more power than ever before. Thomas had told Mons that it could bring a multiverse to Mobius, and while what he was doing was not on that scale, someone was coming through.

Thomas began to feel lightheaded, the room spinning. Bolts of electricity flew from his hands, his powers out of control.

Then a masked, guttural voice. It spoke slowly, every word seeming to be a struggle.

"Thomas. You were with Mons in that- terrible experiment on Earth. You don't belong on Mobius- none of you do. But you have a part to play here. I could let you die...I hadn't planned on using you. But your powers you gained that fateful day...they will help me bring about what must be done."

Thomas grimaced. "Who the hell are you? I'm not going to serve you! Your power is _MINE_!"

The voice spoke again. "You really think so, huh?"

Bolts of energy broke through the relic, cracking it from the inside. The voice came now from the relic itself. "You could have brought countless worlds here- drawn from the powers of endless armies. But you thought only of yourself. And now, you will become mine."

The relic burst into pieces, sending waves of explosive energy towards Thomas.

"That's right. Feel it. You're cured, Thomas. And I'm free."

Thomas looked up and saw the figure that had emerged.

Whoever it was, they were tall, at least 8 feet in height. Their entire body was covered in a suit of bluish-silver armor, with an almost owl-like mask. Their eyes glowed through the mask, a disturbing silver color. On their back was a sword, attatched by some sort of magnetic device. When they spoke, their voice was tripled. "I am Genesis. I exist due to the nature of energy itself- the energy that has sustained your pathetic, fallen world. It was my power that created Deadlock- my influence that drew this world's Dr. 'Eggman' to Mons and caused him to force Mons to bring that wretched 'Zootopia' to Mobius." Genesis laughed. "What foolish names you call yourselves."

Thomas channelled his power through his hands, sending a wave of lightning towards Genesis. "You think yourself some kind of God? Take off that mask and prove it!"

Genesis drew his sword, deflecting Thomas's blast of energy back at him. "No. Not a God. I am what Gods fear."

Thomas fell back, laughing through blood. "Where I come from, we only believe in one God. And he's not afraid of you."

Genesis slashed through the ground, sending tremors towards Thomas and throwing him around the lab as the building began to collapse. "It was my power that brought Sonic the Hedgehog and Judy Hopps together- and tore them apart. I am both what your limited mind would consider 'good' and 'evil'. When in reality, all events lead down the same path- to the end of our time."

Thomas stood up, cutting through the rubble with blasts of lightning. "I will kill you. Perhaps not today. But you will come to fear me."

Genesis merely laughed and slammed his fists together, creating a shockwave that smashed Thomas through the wall of his laboratory and onto the sidewalk outside. Genesis leapt out of the building as it collapsed and landed next to Thomas, bringing his sword down just inches away from Thomas's neck. "You can barely even harm me. What makes you think you can hurt me, Thomas? Now listen to reason. My power has already cured your disease. To end your life now would be a waste. Serve me, Thomas. The world must be reformed. I will make it's citizens your army, and you their leader."

Thomas spat at Genesis. "I'd sooner die than join you."

Genesis grabbed Thomas by the neck, lifting him off the ground. "Did you really think you had any kind of choice? Death would be too easy for you. You will not be given that satisfaction."

A blue light flashed from Genesis's hand and engulfed Thomas as Genesis took over his mind. "I had hoped to convert you willingly. But very well."

Thomas, his mind now controlled by Genesis, was dropped to the ground. "What do you want me to do...my leader?"

Genesis nodded his head. "Yes, that's better. Now, it is time for you to use the full extent of your power..."

* * *

 **Back on Zootopia...(see the previous chapters if you forgot what was going on here)**

Judy stared at Sonic, confused. "How are you alive? Time travel?"

Sonic shook his head. "Not time travel. I got stuck in time _itself_. So technically, I never died."

Judy turned to Nick, who had followed her. "Got it. Nick, are you following this?"

Nick pulled his face out of a donut he was eating. "Yeah, I heard every word. Gee, these donuts might be a total stereotype but boy, are they good."

Sonic motioned to the mess around him. "Shadow did this. Saved a lot of people, mind you. But a mess is still a mess. I suggest you tend to the injured."

Judy nodded. "Right. We should get an ambulance here." Judy and Nick walked back to the other cops, leaving Sonic by himself.

"They didn't seem too enthused about my being here. I'm sure Judy doesn't want to see me after what happened between us- and I can understand that." Sonic turned to walk away and leave this anti-climactic event behind. "I thought that would have been- longer...eh. Might as well do what I came here to do and find Shadow."  
Sonic blazed through the streets, looking through the many windows of the buildings he passed, trying to spot Shadow. Finally, he saw Shadow and- Sonic couldn't believe it- Gazelle inside a bakery. "Well, well. So that IS why Shadow's here."

Shadow turned around as the door opened and Sonic walked through. "Oh hello, Shadow. What a coincidence, eh?" Sonic smirked awkwardly.

Gazelle laughed and Shadow rolled his eyes. "Hello, Sonic. I don't suppose you were looking for me?" said Shadow, returning Sonic's sarcasm.

Sonic shrugged. "Well...the cops are wondering why there's a bunch of knocked out assassins lying around and I kinda told them you did it."

Shadow sighed. "Was Judy there? I imagine there must've been a strained dynamic between the two of you."

Sonic winced at the thought. "Well, Judy was curious. Not mad, but she didn't seem particularly happy either."  
Gazelle spoke up. "You should talk to her."

Sonic twitched slightly. This was the same advice he had just recently given Shadow about Gazelle and now it was coming back at him.

"Look, I'm ok with things the way they are. Judy and I didn't leave on the best of terms, and I'm not mad at her anymore, but I don't feel the need to try to change things. I mean, this isn't a movie. Not everything is gonna work out perfectly. I accepted that the minute the whole world thought I was dead."

Shadow shook his head. "You're right, Sonic. The world isn't perfect- none of them are." Sonic quickly realized Shadow was referring to Zootopia, Mobius, and the many other planets in the universe.

"But in the time I've known you, I've known you to be the one to prove the good is stronger than the bad. Remember that. Realize your limitations- and then break them."

Sonic stood still, unsure of what to do.  
Then Sonic slowly became aware of a whirring noise around him.

That was when a blinding light blew threw the cafe and knocked Sonic, Shadow and Gazelle to the ground.

Shadow immediately stood back up, ready to fight. "It's a portal. Someone's coming through."  
Sonic braced himself for what was coming, but immediately dropped his guard when he saw Mons step through the portal with another dog.

"Mons? How did you know where we were?"

Mons smirked. "I traced your heat signature." Mons motioned to the Pug beside him, who, like Mons, stood on two legs and was just as smart as any Mobian but was in fact from Earth. "This is my brother Joe, or as he insists on calling himself, Bulli."

Sonic laughed. "Bulli? That sounds like a name for a stuffed animal!"

Bulli made a pouting face, pretending to be offended. "But I like it..." he said as he started laughing.

Mons smiled slightly. "Now that you're acquainted, we need you to come with us. We've got a situation on Mobius."

* * *

 **That's it for this chapter. Again, sorry for the super-long absence. There should be a lot less of that now.**

 **Also, my villain has something in common with an old SEGA console. Know which one? Leave a review!**


	7. The Weary Road to Victory

**Hey guys! This chapter and the next one were originally going to be one, but I split them into two due to length. I've uploaded them both.**

* * *

The screams were distant to Sonic as he traveled through the portal with Mons. Something was happening, but in that moment, Sonic felt lightheaded, as if everything was coming to an end. A dark premonition filled him, and somehow he knew that whatever he was about to see would disturb him at his core.

And then, for a moment, the screaming stopped. Sonic, Bulli, Shadow, Gazelle, and Mons were now on Mobius in Mons's workshop, and Sonic saw yet another dog staring at them. Sonic turned to Mons and Bulli. "Got another friend I should know about?"

Bulli nodded. "He's with us. This is Charlie. Retired cop with a lot of experience. Be nice to have a few extra cops with what we're looking at out there."

Sonic nodded uncertainly. "Right. And what the hell exactly are we looking at out there?"

Bulli looked up at the ceiling. "Watch out."

Sonic jumped out of the way just as the left portion of the ceiling collapsed, giving Sonic a view of the terrifying situation outside. Fire and death seemed to be consuming Mobius, and it's citizens were the ones tearing it down. Sonic stood dumbfounded until he noticed the tall figure in the silver suit that seemed to be leading them as they tore each other apart. "Everyone, stay here." Sonic grimaced and dashed full-speed ahead out of the workshop, jumping across the remains of vehicles and buildings as he dashed full speed ahead towards the armored figure in silver.

Sonic winced as an entire building began to collapse on top of him. Jumping through a broken window, Sonic dashed from floor to collapsing floor up and up through the crumbling walls, nearly being hit in the head by a falling desk which hit the uneven ground with a sickening crack. Sonic clenched his teeth, ran straight up the wall, and jumped sideways out of the top of the now-roofless building he had just scaled. "Phew. Let's never do _that_ again."

Sonic landed safely on the ground just feet away from whoever it was in that suit. Behind him he heard Mons flying to assist Sonic in what was sure to be a fight. Sonic yelled out to the figure in armor. "Hey! I don't know who you think you are, but you'd better reconsider your career choice. I heard that being a villain just doesn't pay as well as it used to."

The figure in armor turned to face Sonic. "Sarcastic fool. I am Genesis, and I am no villain. I am far beyond good and evil, Sonic."

"How do you know my-"

"I know everything, fool. Now do the right thing and bow before me."

Sonic smirked. "Petty insults and a shiny suit are the best you've got? Please, stop embarrassing yourself!"

Sonic rushed towards Genesis and delivered a rapid series of punches, causing Genesis to slide across the ground. "Man! What is that suit made out of? Doesn't matter, I'll tear through it even if it takes me all night!"

Genesis drew his sword. "No, you won't." Genesis tried to strike Sonic, but Mons flew between them, knocking Genesis down.

"Ah, Mons. I doubt you'll recognize me, but you might recognize him."

Mons turned around. "Who-"

A torrent of lightning slammed into Mons as Thomas stepped out from the crowd of crazed Mobian citizens. "Thomas? What are you doing! Get a hold of yourself!"  
Genesis laughed. "Thomas can't hear you, Mons. None of them can. They're under my control, and soon...you will be too."  
Sonic looked around him, observing the situation. "Mons, you take Genesis. I'll handle Thomas."

Sonic grabbed a rock off the ground and hurled it at high speed towards Thomas, dashing towards Thomas all the while to deliver a kick to his face moments after the rock hit. Thomas fell back, stunned. "Sonic...you're just in time! In time to see the end of your world!"

Thomas tried to electrocute Sonic with a blast of lightning, but Sonic was too fast, running circles around Thomas and landing a series of punches. "Just stay down, Thomas. Snap out of it!"

Sonic jolted as he heard Bulli land abruptly next to him. "Figured you could use a hand." he heard Bulli say.

Sonic whirled around. "How'd you get here so fast? Did you just...jump here?"

Bulli grinned. "Exactly." Bulli launched himself off the ground and towards Genesis, who was preparing to strike Mons with his sword. Sonic, having defeated Thomas, sped towards Genesis to assist. "There's no way he can take the three of us. Let's make him give up!"

Genesis swung his sword in circles, knocking Sonic down with a lucky blow. With Sonic down, Genesis grabbed Mons, seemingly effortlessly, and threw him into a nearby lamp-post. Bulli punched Genesis as hard as he could, but still Genesis's armor showed not even a scratch. "You are fighting a battle that is impossible to win. I have already seen the outcome of this fight. It does not favor you."

Sonic saw Thomas trying to stand and kicked him down. Other mind-controlled Mobian citizens began to swarm Sonic. "Oh come on, you guys! It's me, Sonic! Don't you remember?"

Then Sonic got an idea.

He ran as far away as possible, far away from Genesis and the rest. Then he began to run back towards them, picking up immense speed. Sonic slammed into Genesis with enough force to topple a building, and finally, he heard a crack. Genesis fell back, coughing. Sonic had moved at a faster speed than Genesis could perceive. Then, Genesis picked up his sword, brought in down in a flash of light, and was gone.

And the Mobian citizens returned to normal.

Sonic looked around at the hellish landscape around him. "He got away. That was too close."

Bulli glanced over at Sonic. "You have any idea where he went?"

Sonic thought about it for a moment. "Actually, I think I do..."

Genesis walked out of the portal he had escaped from, surprised. How had Sonic caught him off guard? It didn't matter- he would be ready for it next time. And Thomas. Thomas had failed. He had forced Genesis to revert to his backup plan. If he could not destroy Mobius, he would destroy it's ally.

And now, Genesis stood just outside Zootopia, ready to bring the whole city down.

* * *

 **Genesis is certainly set on causing trouble for our heroes! Find out more in the next chapter, available to read RIGHT NOW! :)**


	8. If Only Life was Always Fair

**Here's more of the story!**

* * *

Shadow, Gazelle and Charlie were trying to escort the disgruntled, confused citizens to safety, but to no avail. Confusion seemed to cover all of Mobius.

Shadow noticed a blue light coming readily towards him as Sonic raced to greet him. "There you guys are. Look, we 'beat' Genesis. Barely. Mons has Thomas, but Genesis is gone. Tails's scanners can't find his energy signature anywhere, meaning he's not on the planet."

Gazelle's eyes widened. "Then he must have went to-"

Sonic nodded his head discouragedly. "Zootopia. Shadow, can you open a portal there?"

Shadow looked around, making sure there was enough room. "Of course. I just hope we're not too late."

Shadow heard a loud thud and whirled around as Bulli hit the ground, out of breath. "Mons is on his way. Geez, Sonic, could you slow down? I can't keep up with ya." Bulli said, panting. "Anyhow, Mons has some kinda portal device or whatever that oughta get us onto Zootopia."

Shadow shook his head. "No need. I can do it myself."

Bulli smirked. "Too late."

Mons flew down behind Bulli carrying a purple rock- the relic Thomas had sent him- a piece of the same relic that had Thomas had used to unleash Genesis.

Bulli's eyes widened. "I thought it was a piece of tech. What the hell is that thing?"

Mons grimaced. "All I know is after the events of today it seems clear that it's connected to Genesis. Mons pointed to a spot on the rock that had a 'G' carved into it. "I noticed this just moments ago. That 'G' almost certainly stands for Genesis. Apparently, this thing responds to voices."

Mons held the relic up to his mouth and spoke. "Take us to Zootopia."

A purple light enveloped Mons and the rest, and within seconds they were standing on Zootopia, accompanied by the sound of screams."

A panicked Zootopian citizen noticed Shadow and dashed towards him, clutching his arm. "Shadow! Gazelle! Oh, thank God. Someone came into the city not long ago with a sword. The cops tried to arrest him, but that sword is no ordinary weapon. He can destroy buildings with that thing."

Shadow nodded his head. "You're in luck. We're looking for him."

Bulli groaned. "We have to fight him again? Oh, come on!"

Mons held out the purple relic once again. "Not necessarily."

"Bring us Genesis." Mons spoke to the rock.

And sure enough, there was Genesis, on his knees.

"Damn you! How did you-"

Mons slammed the piece into Genesis's masked face. "Your 'ally' Thomas gave this to me. Tell me how he found it."

Genesis laughed. "I led him to it. Just as I led Eggman to you a year ago. I'm the one responsible for Zootopia coming to Mobius, really- I made your life a living hell! And yet you bounced back from it. Sturdy, you are. Doesn't matter."

Genesis grabbed the relic from Mons. "It appears you drained some of my energy with this, eh? Then it's time for me to drain yours!"

Genesis teleported the group to the center of Zootopia. It wasn't in as bad of a shape as Mobius had been, but there were buildings crumbling here too. "I'll tear it down! And there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

Mons grinned sickeningly. "Damn straight there is."  
Mons shot a laser beam from his eyes directly at Genesis's masked head, attempting to burn straight through. Genesis groaned and raised an arm to block the beam. "Your powers- you, have such potential, Mons. Yet you squander it playing hero."

Genesis once again drew his sword and slammed on the ground, disappearing.

Sonic's eyes twitched with frustration. "How many times is he going to do that?"

Gazelle put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry. He's retreating."

Shadow nodded. "Agreed. Mons surprised him."

Then Sonic heard the police sirens in the distance.

"Well well well, team. Looks like I'm having another run-in with the cops."

Sonic didn't even try to run away as he heard the police sirens approach and the ZPD officers stepped out. "Yeah, yeah, it's under control. The crazy energy ninja's gone. Relax."  
But the ZPD officers drew their guns. "Stand down. Genesis orders you."  
Sonic kicked the ground in frustration. "Oh, come _on!_ When does he give _up?_ "

Sonic stared at the cops. "Please. Don't make me do this. I really don't want to have to-"  
A bullet flew past him.  
"Ugh. Fine."  
Sonic swirled around the cops and disarmed them. "You really need to try harder-"  
A cry of pain erupted from behind him.  
One of the bullets had hit Gazelle.  
Shadow was the first to notice. "Damn it! She needs medical attention, now!"  
Sonic whirled around in shock. "Gazelle...no! Get her to a hospital! I'll handle everything here!"  
Bulli spoke up. "No, _I'll_ handle everything here. You and Shadow are the fastest- you can get her to a hospital before the rest of us."

Sonic nodded. "Understood." He gently picked up Gazelle with Shadow's assistance and rushed off as fast as he could to find medical help.  
Bulli and Mons stood together for a moment when a thought occurred to Mons. "Joe, where's Charlie?"  
Bulli's eyes widened. "So you'll only call me Bulli around others? Ugh, fine. But seriously, good question- where _did_ Charlie go?"

One of the demented cops spoke up- none other than Judy Hopps herself, still under Genesis's control. "Your friend belongs to Genesis now. There is nothing you can do but accept this."

Bulli turned back to Mons, horror in his eyes. "We have to get him back, Mons. We have to!"  
Mons breathed slowly, trying to calm himself. "And we're going to. We'll find Charlie- and Genesis. Somehow, we'll make this all right."


	9. The Cost of Being Moral

**Hey guys! I'm alive!**

 **So basically, I just took a unannounced hiatus for a while. So that's that. Sorry to the people that thought I quit- don't worry, I didn't.**

 **You've waited long enough, let's continue this thing!**

* * *

Charlie awoke, tied to a chair, in a warehouse, no doubt Genesis's base of operations. His instincts told him he was back on Mobius. His vision was blurry, but he could make out Genesis standing several feet ahead of him, polishing his sword. _He doesn't know I'm awake_ , Charlie thought to himself.

Then another thought came to him.

 _I'm a retired cop._

 _I have police contacts._

 _They're a bit corrupt, but they'll have to do. There's gotta be a phone around here somewhere. Maybe I've still got mine on me._

Charlie reached into his pocket and felt a cell phone. _Yes!_

Quietly, Charlie opened his messaging app and began typing a text to the first cop in his contacts book. 'I'm being held hostage by the armored man who attacked Mobius. I'm at-

Charlie looked around and saw a printed logo on the wall of the warehouse. Wally's Wholesale, it read.

'-I'm at Wally's Wholesale. I think I'm in the basement. Send troops. Bring Tails's weapons.'

Charlie sent the message and quickly typed another one to Mons. 'I'm alive. On Mobius, Wally's Wholesale. I've contacted the police, can you get over here? Bring Sonic if he's available.'

Charlie waited. A message came through from Mons.

'Charlie. Thank God. Gazelle was injured- Sonic and Shadow are taking her to a hospital. I can get over there. Give me five minutes to open a portal back and find you.'

'I hope I have that long.' Charlie replied.

Charlie slid his phone into his pocket and closed his eyes. Genesis turned around.

"You're awake, aren't you?"

Charlie decided to try to stall Genesis. "Fine. You got me. Who are you, anyway?"

Genesis laughed. "I am beyond your comprehension. I am the reason this world still stands, the reason you 'heroes' exist. You all owe me a great debt. And soon, you will all repay me. But my quarrel is not with you. You are far too insignificant for my notice. Mons...he will suffer. He has destroyed this world. He just doesn't know it yet."

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Hasn't Mons paid enough?"

Genesis shook his head. "Has he? You might think it's just the portals, just Deadlock, just Zootopia, but it's not. I've seen his future. He will be the spark that burns this world down."

Charlie laughed. "You want to burn the world down, too. So what's the difference? Who are you, his brother from the future?"

Genesis sighed. "No. His brother would not betray him. But as for his friends- they will. I only seek to destroy what is necessary for the universe to evolve. This planet is more important than you think."

Knocks on the door. Genesis whirled around. Charlie laughed.

"Your time is up, you bastard."

The door was quickly kicked down, followed by the sound of footsteps. Several officers with high-tech weapons, courtesy of Sonic's best friend Tails, rushed downstairs and encircled Genesis. "Hands where I can see them, now!" The chief officer yelled.

Genesis drew his sword. "Do you really think you can-"

The chief officer fired his weapon.

A bright light pulsed throughout Genesis's armor, and he fell. A portal appeared behind him, and out came Mons, Bulli, and Sonic. "Shadow's taking care of Gazelle." Sonic said. "I'll be taking care of the trash."

Charlie shook his head. "No need. We got him. But could you untie me from this chair?"

"Sure thing."

Sonic looked at the officers' weapons. "Where'd you get those?"

The chief officer responded. "Before you 'died', you told Tails in your message to Mobius to become the next Sonic. So he made these to protect us."

Sonic nodded his head. "What's with the edgy reboots these days?" he said sarcastically. "'Next Sonic' means guns? I almost forgot about that whole thing. Maybe I should add 'Amnesia' to the list of afterlife-side-effects."

The chief officer smiled. "It's good to have you back, Sonic. We'll be taking this one into custody. We've got a special holding cell waiting for him."

Charlie raised his hand. "Actually, I'd rather you hand him over to Mons. He could create a cell that would-"

Mons cut him off. "It's ok, Charlie. They can take him."

The chief officer nodded. "I'm Officer Jones, by the way. Nice to meet you." He shook Mons's hand and then began hauling Genesis away with his crew up the stairs.

When they were gone, Charlie turned to Mons. "Have you lost your damn mind? You're giving Genesis to them? They're not straight cops, Mons! Sure, they saved my ass here, but they can't hold Genesis!"

Mons shook his head. "We don't have Tails's guns, Charlie. They do. Those weapons seem to be able to stop Genesis, so for the time being, we're giving him to the cops."

Sonic rolled his eyes. "It wouldn't be that hard for me to contact my best friend, Mons. I never did get to formally tell him I was alive, but- I'm sure he watches the news."

Mons picked up his relic that he had used to open the portal from the desk he had set it on to fight Genesis, if the need arose. "This thing is pulsing like crazy. If I wasn't sure before, I am now- it's connected to Genesis."

Bulli reached at the relic. "Give it to me. I'll smash it."

Mons refused. "It contains boundless power. In the right hands, it could do a lot of good. It's how we've been able to follow Genesis. The only way for us to stand a chance at beating him is to use this."

Bulli shrugged. "Or we could just use the guns from Tails."

"This isn't the end of Genesis, Joe." Mons replied. "He'll escape. And when he does, I'll be ready. I'm going to my lab. There, I'll create a weapon that can really stop Genesis. But I'm going to need one of those guns."

Bulli rolled his eyes. "They knock Genesis unconscious and this rock starts going nuts. Like it's going into distress, like- some kind of life support. What if breaking it would-"

Mons whirled around. "That could work, but the risk is too high. Either breaking the rock kills him or we destroy our only chance at beating him. Maybe the rock helps him, or maybe it's a side effect of his appearance. Either way, I'm sure he doesn't want us having it."

Bulli froze a moment. "Even if we could kill him- we aren't the law. What gives us the right to murder?"

Mons shook his head. "We've had this conversation before, Bulli- why do you insist on that ridiculous name- Genesis is a murderer and a mass threat. Locking him up only works for so long unless you have the perfect way to hold him. I'm going to try to do just that- create something that will ebb the flow of his powers, not kill him. But if push comes to shove- I won't hesitate for a moment."

 **POLICE STATION: GENESIS HOLDING CELL**

"Aaaarggghhh..."

"Ughhhh..."

"Where...am...I..."

"Ha...ha...ha...ha..."

"Hehehehehehe..."

Genesis, still in his armor, stood up in his containment cell, guarded by energy fields to destabilize the source of his powers, which was, of course, unknown.

And the police had underestimated.

Genesis's sword had been taken, but that didn't matter as he pressed his hands to the energy fields, causing them to flicker and police alarms to blare. Genesis heard the sound of panicked footsteps and yelling as the police rushed towards his location. "He's awake! Damn it, he's awake! I need backup! _Repeat, I need backup!_ Oh- _oh God_!" Genesis cut through the commanding officer's throat with the blades on his arm, and swiftly murdered the others with ease, laughing. "Why do you think Mons let you take me? Because _no one_ can hold me! He'd rather you than him. Some hero!"

A surviving officer drew his gun. "Mons is a hero! He knew he couldn't die, he has to figure out a way to stop you! That's why- I know it is!"

Genesis crushed the officer's windpipe. "Sure. Keep holding on to that false hope. As if it would save you."

Genesis reached out his hand and his sword came crashing through the walls it was held inside and straight into his hand, decapitating the officers in his way. "That's better." Now the police were running, dodging, anything to avoid him.

Then Officer Jones came running around the corner brandishing two of the guns Tails had designed. "Time to die, you son of a b-"

Genesis killed him without hesitation. "You should have stayed away from that warehouse." Genesis picked up the guns.

Dust blew around the corner. Someone else was there.

Shadow.

"I don't know what you are, or where you came from- but I'm going to need you to do one thing." Shadow said.

Genesis laughed. "And what, pray tell, is that?"

Shadow grimaced.

"Get the hell off my planet."

Shadow charged Genesis at maximum speed. "You're lucky Gazelle is going to recover. Otherwise, I'd make your death even more painful than I already will now."

Shadow vibrated both his hands at a indiscernible speed and rammed them through Genesis's chest. "Chaos... _ **BLAST!**_ "

His entire body pulsed red. " _ **Maximum power! Strength of a million dead!**_ "

Genesis paused. "W-what?"

Shadow kept pressing. " _ **Vengeance of all hell! No more limits!**_ "

Genesis screamed in agony. "What...are...you...saying? I've...never...heard...these...words...before..."

Shadow smirked. "Battle cries. Motivation. Nothing that special...but they scared you, didn't they? You didn't know what was coming..."

Explosions reverbrated around Genesis's armor as he tried to absorb the Chaos Blast. "It's useless." Shadow said. "Just accept it and die."

Genesis's hands began to shake as he channeled the explosion into them. "You've just killed everyone here."

Genesis released the explosion.

Shadow teleported out of the building as the entire station exploded into flames. The surviving officers surely evacuated by now.

Unless...

 _No..._

Genesis had used his powers of cognitive rewriting to prevent the surviving officers from leaving the building.

The officers were dead.

All of them.

From his explosion.

Genesis leapt out of the building, his armor quite literally on fire. "Shadow!" He struck wildly at Shadow, carelessly, unpredictably. Shadow overpowered him quickly and tackled him to the ground. Genesis laughed. "I took control of their minds. I planned to leave some officers alive to seize the weapons. But now, you've not only destroyed their station and weapons cache, but they're all dead.

Congratulations, 'hero'."

Shadow's entire face shook with shock. "You did this. You channeled the explosion. _Don't blame me, damn you!_ " Shadow skated around Genesis, delivering a powerful kick to his armored head. Genesis roared in agony. His entire body burned. Shadow laughed hysterically, losing his mind in the anger and confusion. "That's right. You're going to burn and die!"

But suddenly, Genesis's body began to shake rapidly. Waves of light coursed through his body as he appeared to be pulling his body together through sheer will. He turned and dashed away at a speed faster than Shadow had ever seen anyone run.

 _He has...speed..._

Shadow chased him, but Genesis was far too fast. He was out of sight within seconds. Shadow gritted his teeth as a red aura of energy once again surrounded him. Shadow slipped the Inhibitor Rings he usually wore to contain his power off his wrists. "CH-AOS-BL-A-S-T!"

The entire city block went up in flames. " **YOU'RE GOING TO DIE HERE! I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU SUFFER TO YOUR LAST GODDAMN GASP!** "

A blue light whizzed past him. "Shadow, stop!"

Sonic.

"Get out of here, Sonic! You'll die!"

Sonic shook his head. "I can't leave. This power you're using- it's too much! You just took out a city block! You're going to kill everyone!"

Shadow screamed. "He's going to destroy this entire world if he gets his way! What's a couple hundred lives if it means ending him?"

Sonic knew what was going on here. Shadow had gone insane and lost all sense of moral ground.

"Alright, Shadow. Have it your way."

A dark black energy surrounded Sonic within seconds. The negative energy in the area was enough to easily transition Sonic into a more angered version of himself with barely any limits to his power. _Dark Sonic_.

Sonic's eyes glowed white, no pupils or irises visible. His entire body turned black.

Shadow laughed as the same energy surrounded his body. The same transformation occurred in his eyes.

'Dark Sonic' and 'Dark Shadow' stared each other down. "You don't want to do this." Dark Sonic said.

Dark Shadow laughed. "You know you want to."

They charged each other, blasting dark energy at each other and trading super-sonic blows. Sonic grabbed Shadow by the wrist and threw him into the air. "Chaos...Nightmare!"

Shadow retaliated. "Chaos Rift!"

The sky was filled with explosions. "This isn't how to stop Genesis, Shadow!"

"You should have never come after me, Sonic."

Sonic channeled his remaining energy into a single fist and punched Shadow out of the sky, injuring his own body with the force of the blow. "I won't let anyone else get hurt! That's how a true hero acts!"

Sonic couldn't control his descent out of the sky and he fell rapidly. So this is how it ends for me...for real. Sonic thought.

To his surprise, he felt his body lowering at a controllable speed. His body had somehow turned white- a 'Light Sonic' of sorts. Sonic had never experienced this transformation before. Dark Sonic he knew, but this was different.

Shadow, still in Dark Form, stood up. "Nice trick. Here's mine. Chaos Spear!" he yelled as he threw an energy spear charged with dark energy. But Sonic had become remarkably fast in his Light Form, and dodged the spear effortlessly, punching Shadow again and knocking him out cold.

Sonic watched as the dark energy left Shadow.

"Very impressive, Sonic." said a voice Sonic thought he'd never hear again.

"I wasn't sure whether Genesis or Shadow would be the one to kill us all. For once I can say that I'm not behind either. Luckily, you saved the day with your flashy new power."

Sonic turned around to face the speaker.

Eggman.


End file.
